DOCSLIB.ORG

Geology and Mineralogy This Document Consists of 48 Pages* Series A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Geology and Mineralogy This Document Consists of 48 Pages* Series A Si 4 Geology and Mineralogy This document consists of 48 pages* Series A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALOGY OF THE URANIUM DEPOSIT AT THE HAPPY JACK MINE, WHITE CANYON DISTRICT,, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH* Ac F. Tritesj, Jr 05 R0 T, 0 Chew, III, and T. G. Levering December 1955 Trace Elements Investigations Report 514 This preliminary report is distributed without editorial and technical review for conformity with official standards and nomenclature. It is not for public inspection or quotation. *This report concerns work done on behalf of the iDivision ©f Raw Materials of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. 2 USGS - TEI-514 GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. Distribution (Series A) No. of copies Atomic Energy Commission, Washington ,.0.00.00.0 2 Division of Raw Materials, Albuquerque „ 0 . o . o o . 1 Division of Raw Materials,, Austin,, ............ 1 Division of Raw Materials, Butte . 0 8 o . o . o o o . 1 Division of Raw Materials, Casper. ...;........ 1 Division of Raw Materials, Denver. .0.0......•• 1 Division or Raw Materials, Ishpeming ........... 1 Division of Raw Materials, Phoenix , ..... ...... 1 Division of Raw Materials, Rapid Citya .......... 1 Division of Raw Materials, St«, George. .......... 1 Division of Raw Materials, Salt Lake City. 1 Division of Raw Materials, Washington. .......... 3 Exploration Division, Grand Junction Operations Office . 6 Grand Junction Operations Office ............. 1 Technical InfonaationExtensicKipak Ridge ......... 6 U. S 0 Geological Surveys Fuels Branch, Washington 0 ...».... o . 0 ...... 1 Geochemistry and Petrology Branch, Washingotn. ...... 1 Geophysics Branch, Washington. .......».....* 1 Mineral Deposits Branch, Washington. ... 0 ....*•• 2 P. C. Bateman, Menlo Park. ................ 1 A 0 L. Brokaw, Grand Junction ....*.......... 2 No Mo Denson, Denver ...•..........••••. 1 Vo Lo Freeman, College oooooo.oo.. ....... 1 Ro L. Griggs, Albuquerque,, ..........*....• 1 Mo Ro Klepper, Spokane .................. 1 Ao Ho Koschmann, Denver. .................' 1 Jo Po Love, Laramie O o................. 1 Lo Ro Page, Washington .................. 1 Q. Do Singewald, Beltsville. ............... 1 Ao Eo Weissenborn, Spokane .... 0 .. ......... 1 TEPCO, Denver 0 ...................... 2 TEPCO, RPS, Washington, (including master) ........ _2 49 CONTENTS Abstract ,. e . <,.<,<><,, ..o.o. .<,*. ......... 5 Introduction ...«>. ...... ................ £ General geology. 0 „ „ 0 „ . „ . „ 0 . „ <> „ « » „ » « <, ,' 7 Structure. .ooo e ooooooo.oo.oo.o.oo..o.. 9 Mineralogy . ... 0 <,„ O o .<,...„... o .„ o „ <,<><,.. 10 Ore deposits . « . «oooooooooo...o. <>..,. 13 Ores of the sulfide zone. .................. 14 Uraniniteo ...............*......• 15 Pyrite .•••.....»..............«' 19 Chalcopyrite „ . „ 0 0 . 0 . » « . 0 . « «. 26 Other sulfide minerals ............... v * 27 Nonmetallic gangue minerals. ..»,........»'•' 31 Statistical interpretation of assay data . „ . „ „ . « 32 Paragenesis and origin •........••o....* 38 Ores of the transition zone ................. 41 Mineralogy ...« 0 .o. .<.<>. ........••• 42 Statistical interpretation of assay data .....„.« 43 Ores of the oxidized zone .................. 44 Statistical interpretation of assay data . 0 ...... 45 Summary .<>.. «<,<, 0 o 0 .o»» ... «•»••••••••'. 46 Literature cited 0 . 0 . <> . .......... ..... 47 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Photomicrograph of a cross section of a carbonized wood fragment partly replaced by uraninite and chalcopyriteo Uraninite has replaced the cell walls and shalcopyrite has filled or replaced part of the cell cores. us uraninite| c, chalco­ pyrite j w5 unreplaced wood. X 145. • » ....... 17 2. Photomicrograph of uraninite intergrown with pyrite, replacing fine-grained organic material in sandstone. u^ uraninite| p^ pyrite* X 710. ...... ..... 20 3» Photomicrograph of uraninite partly filling the spaces between quartz grains and filling fractures cutting the grains, u^ uran^nitei q^ quartz grains. X 145 O . o o . o o o ...... „ . 20 4« Photomicrograph of sphalerite grains in veins cutting pyrite that has replaced carbonized wood fragments in sandstone,, s 3 sphalerite; p, pyrite5 w, unreplaced wood| q^ quartz grains. X 145 21 5o Photomicrograph of pyrite rimming quartz grains and ehalcopyrite filling the spaces between the grains of the sandstone, p^ pyritej, ®s chalcopyrites q, quartz grains e Blue filter, X 145 » o » <> <> <> 0 „ „ . 23 6.- Photomicrograph of complex zoned pyrite crystals and a skeletal pyrite crystal, X 710 * „ 0 » o „ 0 „ 0 . 25 7. Photomicrograph of galena veined and replaced by chal- copyiite and partly rimmed by covellite* g* galena 5 Q9 chalcopyrit@| cv^ covellite 0 Blue filter^ 8. Photomicrograph of marcasite rimming a cavity in wood that has been replaced by pyrite „ m<, mareasitei p, pyrite o X 145 .•oooo 0 oo 0 oo<,o 00 .. 30 9. Frequency distribution histograms of uranium, copper, manganese, iron, and calcium carbonate, sulfide zone, Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah (logarithmic class intervals 5 6B samples). .ooooooooooo 0 ooooo«.«.» 32 10 0 Frequency distribution histograms of uranium, copper, manganese, iron, and calcium carbonate, transition zone, Happy Jack rnine^ White Canyon district, San Juan County^ Utah (logarithmic class intervals \ 22 oo0 0 ooo»eooooooooooo«e 34 11 o Chart showing paragenesis of uraninite and sulfide minerals, Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district, San Juan County <> Utah .o.oeooooooooo., 39 TABLES Table !„ Geometric means and geometric deviations of various elements and calcium carbonate at the Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah. .... 35 2. Correlation coefficients between uranium and various other elements and calcium carbonate at the Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah* *«.*.oo»».».»oo...o eao ..w6 5 MINERALOGY OF THE URANIUM DEPOSIT AT THE HAPPY JACK MINE, WHITE CANYON DISTRICT, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH By A* Fo Trites, Jr e ^ R* T 0 Chew5 III5 and T. G, Levering ABSTRACT The large uranium deposit at the Happy Jack mine occurs in beds of the Triassic Shinarump conglomerate that fill a channel cut into the underlying Moenkopi formation. The deposit has been divided on the basis of mineralogy into a sulfide zone, a transition zone, and an oxidized zone,, Three types of ore are recognized in all these zones; replacements of "trash" accumulations, replacements of larger carbonized wood fragmentss and bedded ores. Ores of the sulfide zone consist of uraninite associated with pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, bornite, and galena. These primary sulfide ores appear to have been localized in the more permeable sand­ stone beds containing some siltstone and concentrations of carbonized vegetal material. Uranium and copper show evidence of secondary en­ richment in the sulfide zone and the inner part of the transition zone. Ores of the transition zone contain relict concentrations of uraninite and sulfide minerals and large amounts of goethite and jarosite. The ores of the oxidized zone contain abundant iron oxides but no sulfide minerals. Some uranium,, copper, and iron have been retained during the weathering process, but most of the manganese, zinc, and lead are believed to have been removed by oxidation. INTRODUCTION The Happy Jack is the largest uranium mine in the White Canyon district^ San Juan County9 Utah. It is about 75 miles west of Blanding, Utah, in a deep reentrant in the southwest rim above White Canyon. Uranium ore was first shipped from the mine in 194&* and constant production has been maintained since 1951« The property is owned by Joe Cooper of Monticello, Utah, and Fletcher and Grant Bronson of Blanding, Utah. The U. S 0 Geological Survey began a detailed study of the mine in 1952. This study was to determine the mode of occurrence of the uranium minerals, to find structural and lithologic features that may be used as ore guides, and to obtain information on the geochemistry of the em­ placement and oxidation of the ore deposit. The walls of approximately 900 feet of drifts in the northeast part of the mine have been mapped on a scale of 1 inch equals 5 feet. About 750 feet of these drifts were mapped by Trites and Chew between August 7 and October 2, 1952| the remainder was mapped by Trites, assisted by E. J. Ostling, on August 19 and 20, 1954. The mineralogical study was made by Trites who examined about 30 polished sections and 50 thin sections of rock specimens from the mine. X-ray identification of some of the minerals were made by W 0 F 0 Outerbridge of the Geological Survey, Statistical analyses of assays from 103 chip samples from the mine have been made by Levering and Chew. Four main adits,, connected by crosscuts^ have been driven into the Shinarump conglomerate 0 The main workings were all on one level and consisted of slightly more than 3 5 000 feet of drifts and crosscuts when the study was made* The writers wish to thank ¥0 P 0 Walker of the Photographic Laboratory of the Geological Survey for his careful preparation of the photo­ micrographs used in this paper. GENERAL GEOLOGY The rocks exposed in the area are sedimentary be4s of continental origin that range in age from Permian to Jurassic. They have a total thickness of more than 4*000 feet and are predominantly sandstone and siltstone. The nearest exposures of igneous rocks are in the Henry Mountains about 1? miles west of the Happy Jack mine. The uranium deposit at the Happy Jack mine is in the Shinarump conglomerate of late Triassic age 0 The formation is from
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Download PDF About Minerals Sorted by Mineral Name
    MINERALS SORTED BY NAME Here is an alphabetical list of minerals discussed on this site. More information on and photographs of these minerals in Kentucky is available in the book “Rocks and Minerals of Kentucky” (Anderson, 1994). APATITE Crystal system: hexagonal. Fracture: conchoidal. Color: red, brown, white. Hardness: 5.0. Luster: opaque or semitransparent. Specific gravity: 3.1. Apatite, also called cellophane, occurs in peridotites in eastern and western Kentucky. A microcrystalline variety of collophane found in northern Woodford County is dark reddish brown, porous, and occurs in phosphatic beds, lenses, and nodules in the Tanglewood Member of the Lexington Limestone. Some fossils in the Tanglewood Member are coated with phosphate. Beds are generally very thin, but occasionally several feet thick. The Woodford County phosphate beds were mined during the early 1900s near Wallace, Ky. BARITE Crystal system: orthorhombic. Cleavage: often in groups of platy or tabular crystals. Color: usually white, but may be light shades of blue, brown, yellow, or red. Hardness: 3.0 to 3.5. Streak: white. Luster: vitreous to pearly. Specific gravity: 4.5. Tenacity: brittle. Uses: in heavy muds in oil-well drilling, to increase brilliance in the glass-making industry, as filler for paper, cosmetics, textiles, linoleum, rubber goods, paints. Barite generally occurs in a white massive variety (often appearing earthy when weathered), although some clear to bluish, bladed barite crystals have been observed in several vein deposits in central Kentucky, and commonly occurs as a solid solution series with celestite where barium and strontium can substitute for each other. Various nodular zones have been observed in Silurian–Devonian rocks in east-central Kentucky.
    [Show full text]
  • URANINITE Adjacent to Graphitic Slate
    discontinuous post-iron ore seams and disseminated particles in oxidized iron formation URANINITE adjacent to graphitic slate. It occurs in UO2 microscopic grains associated with pyrite, A widely distributed uranium mineral in granitic chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena. One pod pegmatites, veins, and unoxidized sandstone-type measured 12 mm across (James et al., 1968). At uranium deposits. “Pitchblende” is a synonym. the Buck mine, it is also found with the supergene Northern Peninsula. uranium minerals metatyuyamunite, meta-autunite, metatorbernite, and bassetite (Vickers, 1956b). Baraga County: 1. Big Eric’s Crossing, NW ¼ More recently discovered hydraulic breccias from NW ¼ section 35, T52N R30W: Uraninite is near the Sherwood mine have a matrix composed presumed to be the source of radioactivity in a primarily of sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and uraninite hematite-stained fracture in granite exposed (Lassin, 1998). approximately 100 meters north of the bridge at Big Eric’s Crossing on the Huron River Marquette County: Francis mine, section 27, (Kalliokoski, 1976). 2. Huron River prospect, T45N, R26W: “Pitchblende” has been reported NW ¼ NW ¼ section 1, T51N, R30W: from the Francis mine by Kalliokoski (1976). “Pitchblende” occurs with calcite, metatyu- Ontonagon County: Bergland (Burke) yamunite, and volborthite in a brecciated quartz prospect, NW ¼ SW ¼ section 35, T49N, R42W: vein (thrust fault) exposed in the bank of the With uranophane (q.v.) in fractures in altered Huron River (east branch), near and upstream felsite (Beroni and Patterson, 1956; Kalliokoski, from the falls (Kalliokoski, 1976). 1976). Dickinson County: 1. North edge of Felch FROM: Robinson, G.W., 2004 Mineralogy of Trough: Uraninite (“pitchblende”)-carbonate Michigan by E.W.
    [Show full text]
  • Photosynthesis & the Rise of Atmospheric O
    N N Mg H N N PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis && thethe RiseRise ofof CH3 H H O O COOCH3 O AtmosphericAtmospheric OO22 H3CHHH3C OCEAN 355 - Fall 2008 CO2 + H2O <---> CH2O + O2 Lecture Notes #5 “The concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere is a kinetic balance between the rates of processes producing oxygen and the rates of processes consuming it.”** Organic Organic Pyrite burial Oxidation of carbon burial carbon & mantle gases weathering weathering We will discuss those processes & explore the geologic record for evidence of their influence on atmospheric O2 levels through time. Bearing in mind that “A sparse geologic record, combined with uncertainties as to its interpretation, yields only a fragmentary and imprecise reading of atmospheric oxygen evolution.” * * D.E. Canfield (2005) Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci Vol. 33: 1-36. Overview of The Rise of Atmospheric Oxygen • Photosynthesis by cyanobacteria began ~3.5 Ga CO2 + H2O ---> CH2O + O2 • No evidence for atmospheric O2 before ~2.4 Ga • Reduced gases in atmosphere & reduced crustal rocks consume O2 produced during 1.2 Gyr • Hydrogen escape irreversibly oxidizes atmosphere • Mantle dynamics & redox evolution reduce O2 sink over time • Geologic & geochemical evidence for O2 : Oxidized Fe & Mn mineral deposits Detrital uraninite & pyrite Paleosols Redbeds Sulfur & Iron isotopes Eukaryotes • Conclusion: Rapid rise of free O2 2.4-2.2 Ga Geologic, Geocehmical & Biologic Evidence for Rise of Atmospheric Oxygen Kalahari Manganese Member, Hotazel Fm., Manatwan Mine, S. Africa Oxidation (+2 to +4)
    [Show full text]
  • Thn Auertcan M Rlueralocrsr
    THn AUERTcANM rluERALocrsr JOURNAL OF TIIE MINDRALOGICAL SOCIETY OF ANIERICA vbl.41 JULY-AUGUST, 1956 Nos. 7 and 8 MTNERAL COMPOSTTTON OF G'UMMTTE*f Crrllonl FnoNonr, H artard Llniaersity,Cambrid,ge, M ass., and. U. S. GeologicalSurwy, Washington, D.C. ABSTRACT The name gummite has been wideiy used for more than 100 years as a generic term to designate fine-grained yellow to orange-red alteration products of uraninite whose true identity is unknown. A study of about 100 specimens of gummite from world-wide localities has been made by r-ray, optical, and chemical methods. rt proved possible to identify almost all of the specimens with already known uranium minerals. Gummite typicalty occurs as an alteration product of uraninite crystals in pegmatite. Such specimensshow a characteristic sequenceof alteration products: (1) A central core of black or brownish-black uraninite. (2) A surrounding zone, yellow to orange-red, composed chiefly of hydrated lead uranyl oxides. This zone constitutes the traditional gummite. It is principally composed of fourmarierite, vandendriesscheite and two unidentified phases (Mineral -4 and Mineral c). Less common constituents are clarkeite, becquerelite, curite, and schoepite. (3) An outer silicate zone. This usually is dense with a greenish-yellow color and is composed of uranophane or beta-uranophane; it is sometimes soft and earthy with a straw-yellow to pale-brown color and is then usually composed of kasolite or an unidenti- fied phase (Minerat B). Soddyite and sklodowskite occur rarely. There are minor variations in the above general sequence. rt some specimens the core may be orange-red gummite without residual uraninite or the original uraninite crystal may be wholly converted to silicates.
    [Show full text]
  • A Glossary of Uranium- and Thorium-Bearing Minerals
    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 74 April 1950 A GLOSSARY OF URANIUM­ AND THORIUM-BEARING MINERALS By Judith Weiss Frondel and Michael F1eischer UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director WASHINGTON. D. C. Free on application to the Director, Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C. A GLOSSAR-Y OF URANIUM- AND THORIUM-BEARING MINERALS By Judith Weiss Fronde! and Michael Fleischer CONTENTS Introduction ••oooooooooo••••••oo•-•oo•••oo••••••••••oooo•oo••oooooo••oo•oo•oo•oooo••oooooooo•oo• 1 .A. Uranium and thorium minerals oooo oo oo ......................... oo .... oo oo oo oo oo oooooo oo 2 B. Minerals with minor amounts of uranium and thorium 000000000000000000000000.... 10 C. Minerals that should be tested for uranium and thorium ...... 00 .. 00000000000000 14 D. Minerals that are non-uranium- or non-thorium­ bearing, but that have been reported to contain impurities or intergrowths of uranium, thorium, or rare-earth minerals oooooo•oo ............ oo ... oo .. oooooo'""""oo" .. 0000 16 Index oo ...... oooooo•oo••••oo•oooo•oo•oooo•·~· .. •oooo•oooooooooooo•oooooo•oooooo•oooo••oo•••oooo••• 18 INTRODUCTION The U. S. ·Geological Survey has for some time been making a systematic survey of da~ pertaining to uranium and thorium minerals and to those minerals that contain trace1 or more of uranium and thorium. This survey consists of collecting authoritative chemical, optical, and X-ray diffraction data from the literature and of adding to these data, where inadequate, by work in the laboratory. The results will he reported from time to time, and the authors welcome in- formation on additional data and names.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Occurrences of High-Thorian Uraninite Near Easton, Pennsylvania*
    THE AMERICAN MINERALOGIST, YOL. 42, NOVEMBER_DECEMBER 1957 THREE OCCURRENCES OF HIGH-THORIAN URANINITE NEAR EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA* Anruun M oNrcounnu, Laf ayette C oll,ege, Easton, P ennsylaanio. Assrnacr The geology, mineralogy and paragenesis of three occurrences of high-thorian uraninite in serpentine near Easton, Pa., are described. seven *-ray fluorescence analyses together with three corroborative chemical analyses show this mineral to be high-thorian uraninite rather than high-uranoan thorianite as supposed six samples contajn from about l5/o to 3570ThOr. At the Williams quarry hydrothermai alteration of much uraninite to a sequence of secondary uranium- and thorium-rich minerals occurred. Frondel,s Mineral C, thoro- gummite, then boltrvoodite and uranophane were formed during serpentinization of frac- tured dolomite-diopside-tremolite contact-metamorphosed rock. Supergene coatings, chiefly hydrous uranium silicates and including boltwoodite and uranophane, formed much later. At the reservoir site slight hldrothermal alteration oI uraninite to thorogummite occurred. At the Royal Green Marble co. quarry uraninite is found unaltered. At these localities fracturing or temperatures during later hydrothermal mineralization may have been of lower intensity. It is concluded that thorium-rich Easton uraninite does not alter readily to secondary minerals, except when subjected to severe deformation and concomitant attack by ser- pentinizing hydrothermal solutions. The Th, rJ and. zr of this contact-metasomatic uran- inite and the associated zircon originated in a granite-pegmatite magma rich in these elements, which intruded dolomitic rocks and through deformation while crystallizing yielded the hydrothermal solutions that deposited these minerals in those rocks. then serpentinized the rocks. INrnonucrroN High-thorian uraninite, regardeduntil now as high-uranoan thorian- ite,1occurs in serpentinerock at three localitiesjust north and northeast of Easton, Pennsylvania.The two earlier discoverieswere made around 1930by GeorgeW.
    [Show full text]
  • Mineralogical Controls of Acid Generation and Metal Leaching At
    A508 Goldschmidt Conference Abstracts Mineralogical controls of acid Variations in 238U/235U ratios in generation and metal leaching at natural uranium ore minerals from contrasting sedimentary exhalative sedimentary basins sulphide deposits in the Yukon T. KURT KYSER*, D. CHIPLEY, A. VULETICH 1 Territory, Canada AND P. ALEXANDRE Department of Geological Sciences & Geological Y.T. JOHN KWONG Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont. K7L CANMET Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories, Natural 3N6 Canada (*correspondence: [email protected]) Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G1 ([email protected], [email protected], ([email protected]) [email protected]) The Anvil District and the Howard’s Pass area of Current investigations indicate that uranium isotopes respectively central and southeastern Yukon Territory, fractionate as a result of nuclear volume effects predicted by Canada, are renowned for their stratiform Zn-Pb deposits. Bigeleisen in his initial calculations of natural isotopic Both camps are located within the Selwyn Basin and the variations in minerals [1]. More recently, it has been suggested prevalent Zn-Pb deposits are all interpreted to be sedimentary that 238U/235U ratios will vary as function of uranium oxidation exhalative (SEDEX) in origin. The Anvil deposits are pyrite- state and will be the highest in reduced species [2]. rich and have undergone significant regional and contact Uraninite from sedimentary basins is susceptible to metamorphism. Recrystallization during metamorphism has recrystallization, reprecipitation and alteration to a variety of resulted in an increase in average grain size and the secondary uranium minerals that are often produced by conversion of the associated carbonates into calc-silicates and interaction with oxidizing fluids.
    [Show full text]
  • Report 93-17
    REPORT 93-17 Oxidation of uraninite Janusz Janeczek, Rodney C Ewing Department of Earth & Planetary Science, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA June 1993 SVENSK KARNBRANSLEHANTERING AB SWEDISH NUCLEAR FUEL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT CO BOX 5864 S-102 48 STOCKHOLM TEL 08-665 28 00 TELEX 13108 SKB S TELEFAX 08-661 57 19 OXIDATION OF URANINITE Janusz Janeczek, Rodney C Ewing Department of Earth & Planetary Science, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NH, USA June 1993 This report concerns a study which was conducted for SKB. The conclusions and viewpoints presented in the report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily coincide with those of the client. Information on SKB technical reports from 1977-1978 (TR 121), 1979 (TR 79-28), 1980 (TR 80-26), 1981 (TR 81-17), 1982 (TR 82-28), 1983 (TR 83-77), 1984 (TR 85-01), 1985 (TR 85-20), 1986 (TR 86-31), 1987 (TR 87-33), 1988 (TR 88-32), -1989 (TR 89-40), 1990 (TR 90-46) and 1991 (TR 91-64) is available through SKB. Oxidation of Uraninite Janusz Janeczek* Rodney C. Ewing Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, U.S.A. •presently at Departure Jt of Earth Sciences, Silesian University, Bedr i ska 60,41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland June, 1993 Keywords: spent nuclear fuel, uraninite, UO2, oxidation, corrosion, natural analogue, Cigar Lake. ABSTRACT Samples of uraninite and pitchblende annealed at 1200°C in H2, and untreated pitchblende were sequentially oxidized in air at 18O-19O°C, 230°C, and 300°C.
    [Show full text]
  • Uranium in the Petaca, Ojo Caliente, and Bromide Districts, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico William L
    New Mexico Geological Society Downloaded from: http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/25 Uranium in the Petaca, Ojo Caliente, and Bromide districts, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico William L. Chenoweth, 1974, pp. 315 in: Ghost Ranch, Siemers, C. T.; Woodward, L. A.; Callender, J. F.; [eds.], New Mexico Geological Society 25th Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, 404 p. This is one of many related papers that were included in the 1974 NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook. Annual NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebooks Every fall since 1950, the New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) has held an annual Fall Field Conference that explores some region of New Mexico (or surrounding states). Always well attended, these conferences provide a guidebook to participants. Besides detailed road logs, the guidebooks contain many well written, edited, and peer-reviewed geoscience papers. These books have set the national standard for geologic guidebooks and are an essential geologic reference for anyone working in or around New Mexico. Free Downloads NMGS has decided to make peer-reviewed papers from our Fall Field Conference guidebooks available for free download. Non-members will have access to guidebook papers two years after publication. Members have access to all papers. This is in keeping with our mission of promoting interest, research, and cooperation regarding geology in New Mexico. However, guidebook sales represent a significant proportion of our operating budget. Therefore, only research papers are available for download. Road logs, mini-papers, maps, stratigraphic charts, and other selected content are available only in the printed guidebooks. Copyright Information Publications of the New Mexico Geological Society, printed and electronic, are protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • Microbiological Processes in Banded Iron Formation Deposition
    Sedimentology (2013) 60, 1733–1754 doi: 10.1111/sed.12051 Microbiological processes in banded iron formation deposition NICOLE R. POSTH*1 , KURT O. KONHAUSER† and ANDREAS KAPPLER* *Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany (E-mail: [email protected]) †Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3 ABSTRACT Banded iron formations have been studied for decades, particularly regard- ing their potential as archives of the Precambrian environment. In spite of this effort, the mechanism of their deposition and, specifically, the role that microbes played in the precipitation of banded iron formation minerals, remains unresolved. Evidence of an anoxic Earth with only localized oxic areas until the Great Oxidation Event ca 2Á45 to 2Á32 Ga makes the investi- gation of O2-independent mechanisms for banded iron formation deposition relevant. Recent studies have explored the long-standing proposition that Archean banded iron formations may have been formed, and diagenetically modified, by anaerobic microbial metabolisms. These efforts encompass a wide array of approaches including isotope, ecophysiological and phylog- eny studies, molecular and mineral marker analysis, and sedimentological reconstructions. Herein, the current theories of microbial processes in banded iron formation mineral deposition with particular regard to the mechanisms of chemical sedimentation and post-depositional alteration are described. The main findings of recent years are summarized and compared here, and suggestions are made regarding cross-disciplinary information still required to constrain the role of the biosphere in banded iron forma- tion deposition. Keywords Aerobic and anaerobic Fe(II) oxidation, anoxygenic phototrophs, atmospheric evolution, banded iron formations, cell-mineral aggregates, mineral diagenesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Are There Abiotically-Precipitated Iron-Formations on Mars?
    Mineral Spectroscopy: A Tribute to Roger G. Burns © The Geochemical Society, Special Publication No.5, 1996 Editors: M. D. Dyar, C. McCammon and M. W. Schaefer Are there abiotically-precipitated iron-formations on Mars? M. W. SCHAEFER Yale University, Department of Geology and Geophysics, P. O. Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06520-8109, U.S.A. Abstract- In early times, surface conditions on Mars and Earth were probably quite similar, however, the two planets took different paths in their evolution. Banded iron-formations (BIFs) were prevalent on Earth in the Archean, and the likelihood of their formation on Mars at the same time is investigated. There are several abiotic mechanisms for producing banded iron-formations on Earth. These are: (1) oxidation of ferrous iron by free oxygen, (2) photooxidation of ferrous iron, (3) oxidation of ferrous iron by hydrogen peroxide, and (4) anoxic precipitation of ferrous iron by changes in pH. Any of these mechanisms could have been active on Mars in its distant past, to produce BIFs there as well, which should be observable today. The minerals one would expect to observe on the surface of a BIF on Mars are indeed thought to exist on Mars, but unfortunately BIFs are not unique in containing these minerals, and confirmation of the existence of BIFs on Mars will have to wait for more data. Proof of the existence of BIFs on Mars would give us valuable information about the early history of the planet Mars as well as Earth. It would act to confirm models of Mars that include a warm, wet period, and the existence of bodies of standing water.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of the Geology, Economic Aspects, and Geochemistry of the Sch Wartzwalder U Rani Urn-Bearing Area, Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson County, Colorado
    Summary of the Geology, Economic Aspects, and Geochemistry of the Sch wartzwalder U rani urn-bearing Area, Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson County, Colorado U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1555 Summary of the Geology, Economic Aspects, and Geochemistry of the Sch wartzwalder U rani urn-bearing Area, Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson County, Colorado By E.]. YOUNG U.S . GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1555 A study of relations between uraniferous mines and prospects in the Front Range near Golden, Colorado UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1985 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Young, Edward J. (Edward Joseph), 1923- Summary of the geology, economic aspects, and geochemistry of the Schwartzwalder uranium­ bearing area, Ralston Buttes district, Jefferson County, Colorado. (Geological Survey bulletin ; 1555) Bibliography: p. Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:1555 I. Geology-Colorado-Jefferson County. 2. Uranium mines and mining-Colorado-Jeffer­ son County. 3. Geochemistry-Colorado-Jefferson County. I. Title. Series. QE75.B9 no. 1555 [QE92.J4] 557.3 s [557.88'84] 84-600135 CONTENTS Page Abstract ........ 1 Introduction . 2 Regional geologic setting 2 Rocks of the map area . 5 Precambrian rocks .. 5 Metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks 5 Cataclastic rocks . 8 Igneous and metaigneous rocks 8 Paleozoic sedimentary rocks 9 Tertiary intrusive rocks . 9 Cenozoic surficial deposits 10 Quaternary deposits . 10 Pleistocene, lower 10 Pleistocene, upper 10 Holocene ..... 10 Structural geology . 11 Structure of Precambrian rocks . 11 Folding .......... 11 Idaho Springs-Ralston shear zone 13 Breccia reefs . 13 Other faults .
    [Show full text]